Busy holiday travel season fuels big fourth quarter for Delta

Delta Air Lines fourth-quarter results topped analysts’ expectations as travel demand was strong during the crucial holiday period. The company earned $843 million, or $1.29 per share, for the three months ended Dec. 31. A year earlier it earned $2.04 billion, or $3.16 per share. Removing certain items, earnings were $1.85 per share. Analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research were calling for earnings of $1.76 per share.